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,PIL DDDDDDDDDDDDD K. N0. 359,560. A Patted Mai. 15, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

PHILIP S. DUSENBURY, OF SEDALIA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. MASTERS, OF SAME PLACE.

FILE HOLDER AND RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming para of Letters Patent No. 359,560, dated March 15, 1887, Application filed August 2, 1886. Serial No. 209,814; `(No model.)

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedalia, inthe county of Pettis and State ofMssouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File Holders and Backs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw-` ings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in file holders and racks, and it consists in certain details of construction and operation, hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my file holder and case. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of,- same. Figs. 3 and 4 are details.

The object of my invention is the production of a `cheap and simple file-case that may be easily and conveniently operated and readily closed and locked, and valuable papers and files thereby secured and preserved from interference by unauthorizedpersons, and from dust and injury. l

My file-holder is composed of the partsA A and B, joined at theiry ends in a position at right angles with .each other, as shown in Fig. 1, and forming the front and bottom of the holder. Guide-rods F are inserted in the bottom piece, B, at each .side near its outer end, and extend backparallel with piece A to a point near its outer end, where they are bent inward at right angles and their opposite ends inserted into and secured in piece A.

' These rods form a way or track for the follower G, which is provided with holes or openings at its sides, `through which the rods pass, and enable the follower to slide upon them freely backward or forward. This follower 4guide-rods F, and between the follower and bottom piece, B, their ends resting upon piece A. In order to hold the follower G in any desired position on the guiderods F, Iprovide a tension device consisting of a pair of doublehooked plates,l K K', the hooks of which rest upon the guide rods F. These plates are `placed in a reversed position in respect to each other, so that the hooks bear on opposite sides of the guiderods. The plates are united or connected at their center by alooped spring N with the thumb and finger.

The case or rack for the accommodation of my file-holders is provided with a raised track vconsisting of the rails O O, upon which the le-holder rests and slides. The inner sides of these rails are grooved to receive a plate, V, which ts and slides within said grooves. The movement of this plate is limited by a downward-projecting lug, e, at its rear end, which,in the backward movement of the plate, abuts against a stop, d, in the floor `near the inner end of the track,and in its outward movement against a similar stop, d', neary the outer end of the track. The front end of this plate is provided with two holes, a, and in the bottom of piece B of the holder is tted a pair .of hooks, I-I, designed to engage with these holes and connect the plate and tile-holder, so that the backward or forward movement of the file-holder upon the track corresponds` IOO- the case is a locking-bolt, E, niovably secured by screws or bolts r, passing through a series of diagonallyarranged guide-slots, s,whereby the said bolt is given a downward movement when projected forward and an upward movement when drawn backward. This bolt E may be of any desired and suitable length, and is designed, when projected forward and downward, to engage with the hooks M of all the fileholders in the case. The outer end of this locking-bar is flanged or turned up, as shown 1n Fig. l, and extends to a door opening into the side of the file rack or case, and may be connected therewith by a link, so that when the door is opened the bar is withdrawn and the file-holders released or unlocked; or it may be withdrawn vby hand. The operation of locking is, however, automatically performed by closing this door, which, in closing, bears against the'iange and presses the bolt inward.

The manner of operating my device is as follows: The side door is opened and the bolt withdrawn, unlocking and releasing all the file-holders. A file-holder is drawnoutward from the case until arrested by the lug 011 the under side of plate V coming in contact with the stop d near the outer end of the track. It is then permitted to drop forward and down, until its face A occupies a horizontal position and its bottom piece, B, a vertical position, as shown in Fig. l, and is held suspended by means of the hooks H,engaging with the holes a in the front end of plate V. The follower G is then drawn back by placing the thumb and linger upon the loopspring N and cornpressing the same. which releases the tension of the hooks K K upon the guide-rods F. The papers or files are then placed within the holders in an upright position and securely clamped by pressing` the follower forward against them. The holder is then raised to au upright position and pushed into the case until the face A is flush with its front, when the lug c on the under side of plate V comes in contact with the rearstop,1l, and arrests its further backward movement, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that the hook M on the rear end of the piece A is now directly beneath the locking-bolt E. This bolt is now projected forward and carried downward within the hook M by means of the diagonal guideslots s, and serves to securely lock the holder in position until the bolt is again withdrawn.

Near the top of piece A is provided an aperture extending from side to side, of sufficient width to insert a card, and in the front face of this piece is ou opening, T, to this aperture for the purpose of displaying any label that may indicate the contents of the fileholder.

It is obvious that my file rack or ease may be of any suitable dimensions to accommodate any desired number of file-holders, and that a single opening or door on the side may afford access to and operate the locking bolt or bolts, so that all the file-holders may be closed and securely locked by means of a single key.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a ile rack or case, the combination of the file-holder constructed as described, and having the attaching-hooks on the bottom,with the case provided with the track on the iioor thereof, composed of the inwardly-grooved rails and the plate adapted to slide within said grooves, said plate being provided with perforations at its outer end for attaching the holder by means of the hooks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a file rack or ease, the combination of the inwardly-grooved rails on the fioor of the case, the plate adapted to slide within said grooves and provided with a downwardlyprojecting lug at its inner end and perfora tions at its outer end, the studs or stops in the iioor within and near each end ofthe track, and the file-holder provided with hooks in its bottoni for engaging with the holes in the front end of the plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a file-holder, of the front and bottom pieces, the follower having holes or openings at its sides, the guide-rods connecting the side and bottom pieces and passing through the openings in the follower, and the tension device secured to the follower and consisting of the hooked plates united by a spring and bearing upon the guide-rods, substantially as described.

4. In av file-holder, the combination, with the follower mounted and moving upon guiderods, of a tension device consisting of a pair of hooked plates occupying a position reverse to each other, so that the hooks grasp the guiderods on opposite sides, said plates being connected by a looped spring forcing them in opposite directions, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a file rack or case, the combination, with the holder provided with a locking-hook secured to its lower and inner end, of a slotted locking-bolt having a fiange at its outer end, said liange engaging with the inner edge of the case-door, whereby the locking device is automatically operated by the door and the holder thereby locked when the door is closed, as set forth.

6. In a file-holder constructed as described, the face-piece A, provided with a recess from side to side, near its top, for the insertion of a card or label, and an opening in its face communicating with said recess for displaying said label, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof Iaftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP S. DUSENBURY. IVitnesses:

M. M. BYLER, It. N. HENDERSON.

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